Citizen’s Group Commends Tinubu’s Oil Reforms
By: Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
A citizens’ group has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s oil and gas sector reforms as courageous measures laying the foundation for Nigeria’s long-term economic sustainability and self-reliance.
Mallam Nasir AbdulQuadri, Co-Convener of the 1st Citizens Engagement Conference (North-West Edition), made the remark on Monday in Kaduna at the event themed “The Positive Impacts of Oil and Gas Reforms by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu Administration.”
He said the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and the removal of fuel subsidy marked a “legal, fiscal, and institutional rebirth” for the nation’s petroleum industry.
AbdulQuadri acknowledged that the reforms had caused “temporary discomfort” but described them as acts of “uncommon courage” steering the country toward “long-term economic sustainability.”
According to him, deregulation has already opened the space for private investment, stimulated refinery rehabilitation, and encouraged modular refining. He added that the creation of regulatory agencies such as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) had brought clearer structure and accountability to the sector.
He also noted that gas development was emerging as a transition pathway, while host communities were beginning to benefit through the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs).
Beyond the economics, AbdulQuadri urged citizens to see themselves as “co-authors of progress” rather than “detached observers,” stressing that unity and collective resilience were vital for the success of the reforms.
“The strength of our sovereignty lies in our unity and our capacity to debate, reform, and rebuild within — not by surrendering our autonomy to others,” he said, warning against external forces that might exploit internal divisions.
He clarified that the call for unity was not an appeal for “blind loyalty or silence in the face of poor governance,” but an invitation to practice responsible citizenship by demanding transparency “with national consciousness, not anger without direction.”
AbdulQuadri concluded that the reforms represented “faith in Nigeria’s capacity to evolve, reform, and rise above the limits of the past,” calling on Nigerians to “guard our sovereignty with wisdom, drive reforms with unity, and sustain hope with discipline.”
